The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, has warned politicians who are “demarketing” Nigeria on social media, stating that such individuals are unfit to lead the country.
Fagbemi made this remark on Wednesday at the Abuja Social Media Summit, which was themed ‘Harnessing the Power of Social Media for National Development’.
“All hands must be on deck in efforts to transform Nigeria into a greater nation devoid of bickering. The government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is committed to leading the country out of the woods,” Fagbemi said.
“Just as they say that social media neither sleeps nor slumbers, we must watch our word! Weigh it before you utter it. For, once uttered, it cannot be retrieved.
“No individual should use his freedom of speech on social media to infringe upon the rights of another as it is fast becoming the order of the day. We must also be careful of what we say about our country.
“Political differences should not make us de-market our country on the international stage. Only unpatriotic citizens or leaders will choose to do so. Those who speak ill of their country to settle political differences should never have the opportunity to lead the same country at any stage.”
Fagbemi, represented at the event by his spokesman Kamarudeen Ogundele, emphasized that harnessing the power of social media for national development entails utilizing these platforms to drive economic growth, improve governance, boost civic engagement, and advance societal progress.
The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) highlighted that social media enhances transparency and accountability, encourages citizen participation and engagement, facilitates public service announcements and information dissemination, and provides mechanisms for feedback and complaint resolution.
However, he also pointed out the challenges and limitations associated with social media, including the digital divide and inequality, the spread of misinformation and disinformation, cybersecurity threats, and privacy concerns.
“To overcome these challenges, governments, civil society, and private sector stakeholders must work together to create an enabling environment for social media-driven national development,” he said.